The present disclosure relates to communications networks, and particularly to initiating peer-to-peer communication sessions among devices in such networks.
The types of devices and services that users employ to effect electronic communications with one another have expanded significantly in recent years. For example, whereas users once used phones solely to engage in audio communications with one another, smart phones now enable people to engage in a wide variety of different types of electronic communications with one another, including video conferencing, text messaging, email, instant messaging, and location sharing. Moreover, smart phone users can communicate seamlessly with users of other devices, such as tablets and laptops, using each of these services. Different devices, however, can have different service capabilities, which can vary based on device type and a service plan associated with the device, among other factors.
Although expanded service capabilities have enabled more efficient communication, users are usually only able to communicate with one another if they have exchanged certain information regarding their service capabilities. For example, in order for two users to exchange instant messages with one another, each user must first be aware that the other user has the capability to exchange instant messages and second know the instant messaging user name or handle associated with the other user. Moreover, users may prefer certain forms of communication over others. For example, a user may prefer to communicate via email than to communicate via text message or a voice call.
Users are generally unaware of the full inventory of services that they can use to communicate with one another unless they have told one another about their service capabilities and provided one another with the necessary credentials to engage in communication using those services. Thus, whereas two users may know how to communicate with one another using one mode (e.g., a voice call), the two users may be unaware of other potential modes that they can use to communicate with one another. Aspects of the disclosed embodiments address these and other concerns regarding electronic communications.